Recreational Cyclocross and GravelbikingThis has to be the most physically intense sport ever invented. It's high speed bicycle racing on a short off road course or riding the off pavement rides on gravel like :The Dirty Kanza". We also have a dedicated Racing forum for the Cyclocross Hard Core Racers.

Well I have been through this forum like a sponge this past summer, and have gleaned a lot of knowledge!

I am signed up for a newbie cross clinic this Thursday and I am very excited. I will post a follow up at the end of the week.

Thanks for the info list members.

vjp

WOW!!

I was going to update this yesterday, but I could barely move. Or breathe.

A little background on myself. I am 48 and until this past winter was off my bike since 1992. Prior to then I had been a cat 4 roadie for about 6 years. Marriage, work, kids, house, life and unfortunately death also had been the priorities. I put on 60 lbs and had even started smoking which thankfully I stopped after about 4 years. I knew it would hurt to get back on the bike, so I didn't.

One of my clients had given me a brand new Brodie Romax in 2000 as a thank-you for a project and I had never even ridden it until this past spring. The Romax is one of "those" bikes that this list loves to argue about, but it is Tange Prestige and full Shimano Tiagra. I put on some fenders (the roadie is dying) a pump some spares and it weighs about 27 lbs., but I think to myself, "I will worry about the bikes weight when I have lost my 60 lbs." A small triumph.

I get on my bike. A thousand miles later....not EVERYONE is passing me, I can get out of the saddle and hammer up some hills. People used to say "hi" or "on your left" when they passed you on another bike, now they just blow by and scare the crap out of me. I am angry about this for awhile and then decide that I will say "hi" to everyone that I ride by and then I started to ask people "how are you?" or say "what a great day", even to pedestrians that are walking their dogs in the quieter neighbourhoods I ride through on my cool down. Sometimes they say "hi" back, sometimes they don't. The joy is in the giving, and I am happy. I have lost 35 lbs.

I find this site, devour the info....hmmm could I compete again? In a painfest? I buy some parts to optimize my bike. A new cluster, a bar end shifter, bars. My resting heart-rate is 53 bpm.

"Cross Clinic" this thursday! I send an e-mail, receive a liability disclaimer and the meeting place and time. I am the oldest, least fit person to show up. I quickly introduce my self to everyone and shake their hands. They seem puzzled, but I can feel everyone relax. Where have our manners gone? Our clinic coaches are a couple who both started racing when I did, while I put on 60 lbs they have become World Masters Champions. I am a little ashamed, but they are incredibly gracious and encouraging.

One of the "tips" I gleaned from this site was to change out the brake levers, left lever for the back brake right lever for the front. I should have probably done that before the day of the clinic...

Five. Five incredibly spectacular wipeouts. In 2 hours. I didn't unclip in a dismount, F@CK that hurt. I smashed my balls so hard on a remount that I let go of my handlebars and did a faceplant. I haven't sacked myself since I was a little kid. We were gathering in a little group and I grabbed some rear brake to slow down, I mean what used to be the rear brake and is now the front brake. That was funny. I went through our barricade full blast because I didn't unclip again.I did the splits, and the coaches laughed so hard that they were crying. Stupid Eggbeaters, another "great" tip from this list.

Just when I thought it was all done, we went for a short ride up a beautiful path along a river up to a school playground. We did some follow the leader around the outside of the field including some singletrack in a gully. Time actually stopped for a fraction of a second. Maybe you felt it? I was hanging there, in midair, on my side, still clipped in. I could see myself from outside of my body, or maybe it was in my minds eye? I screamed like a little girl, which was pretty embarrassing for the young ladies who were behind me, and then I came back to earth. Maybe you felt that?

I went to a cross clinic last month and had an absolute blast. Don't be ashamed to go really slow and ask a lot of questions. I hobbled away from the gig with a three-alarm "fanny fire" which kept me off the bike for several days- wait 'til they go over re-mounts!

I went to a cross clinic last month and had an absolute blast. Don't be ashamed to go really slow and ask a lot of questions. I hobbled away from the gig with a three-alarm "fanny fire" which kept me off the bike for several days- wait 'til they go over re-mounts!